Shield of the Gremory
by TheDragonElemental
Summary: Ysara Gaerwing, The Last Dovahkiin, is discarded by her world's deities. Broken and left for dead in a new world, she is saved by Rias Gremory. How will things be changed by Ysara's sudden appearance?
1. The Passion and the Resurrection

**AN: So this has been bouncing around in my head the past few days so I figured I'd give it a try. Obviously, this is my first story so take that as a warning about the quality of the story you're about to read. Anyway, hope ya'll enjoy the story. Just as a reference, Ysara's appearance and combat style are heavily influenced by the Valkyrie from For Honor and this will start about a year before DXD cannon starts.**

Chapter 1: The Passion and Resurrection

The Summit of Apocrypha, the tallest point in the realm of the Daedric Prince Hermaeus Mora, was currently home to the greatest duel of this era. Miraak, the First Dovahkiin, and Ysara Gaerwing, the Last Dovahkiin, were locked in a flurry of spell, Thu'um, and blade. They clashed again and again, evenly matched in both skill and power. They broke apart, both trying to regain their breathe from this latest clash.

They were equally battered and covered in grime and blood. Miraak's robes were torn and ragged, his mask cracked and even broken in some places. Ysara's glass armor was in a similar state of disrepair, revealing her pale skin in some places where the damage was the worst. Her glass buckler had cracks spider-webbing across its surface, despite the reinforcing and warding enchantments she had placed on it. Her long, raven colored hair fell out of the back of her helmet in a large braid.

Both wielded strange weapons. Ysara's weapon of choice was the spear, a weapon not seen since before the Fall of the Septims. Hers in particular was a Bound Spear, a lesser daedra having been forced into the desired form and summoned to this plain. Miraak's weapons were far stranger. His sword was an odd fusion of tentacle and metal, the fleshy blade extending when he swung it. His staff conjured masses of tentacles on the ground, slowing and poisoning anyone within their reach.

Both warriors dashed forward, Ysara roared and leaped, stabbing towards Miraak's midsection. Miraak nimbly sidestepped and attempted to slash her back, but his blade merely bouncing off her buckler. Thus the battle continued unabated, Mora high in the sky watching with glee. Finally, their battle changed when Ysara swung her spear like a longsword. Miraak tried to block with his staff, but the weapon broke from the strain of taking one to many blows. The spearhead sliced through his stomach, nearly disemboweling him. Ysara, not expecting the lack of resistance, stumbled. Miraak seized this perfect opportunity.

" **Fus… RO DAH!** ", Miraak shouted, sending Ysara flying across their arena. Her shield struck the ground first, shattering into a thousand pieces. Her shoulder hit next, a sickening crack emitting from it as the joint broke. Her helm flew from her head and she lost her grip on her spear, the conjured weapon fizzling out of existence. She tumbled a few times before finally coming to a stop.

She shakily stood, no doubt disorientated from the unexpected flight. As she regained her bearings, the pain of her broken shoulder finally hit her. A normal person would have screamed, she simply let out a crazed laugh, her pale blue eyes glimmering gleefully. A maniac grin plastered itself on her face, distorting the beauty of her mixed Nord and Breton features.

* * *

 _'This is fantastic. No one has ever pushed me this far, not Alduin, not Harkon, and definitely not Tullius. All of Sovngarde will revel in the tale of this glorious battle'_ , she thought giddily.

She'd let herself slip again, back into old habits that she'd tried to stamp out over the past year. And frankly, she didn't care. She'd tried to hide it, hide behind a façade of elegance and calm. But it always came out whenever the fighting got too intense. Gone was Ysara Gaerwing, daughter of Ysabel Gaerwing and the last scion of The Noble House Gaerwing. In her place was the warrior simply called The Queen. A warrior born from the years spent as the champion gladiator of the Dark Moon Renegades.

She beckoned her magic to her, conjuring forth another spear. She dashed forward, disregarding the pain her shoulder and what was probably a broken rib. Pain was good, it let you know that you're still alive, still able to fight. The Queen clashed with Miraak again. This, this is what she had longed for. The fight she had craved for years. A fight between true equals. She couldn't contain her joyous laughter as she traded blows with Miraak, wildly slashing and stabbing at him with her spear. He could barely keep up.

A spike of pain shot through her midsection as she tried to stab Miraak again, sending her stumbling past him. She knew she had lost before Miraak's blade rent her back from shoulder to hip. She fell to her knees, and had to catch herself before she face planted into the stone ground. She barely heard Miraak's clinking footsteps over her panting and the ferocious pounding of her heart.

'Is this the day I die?" She thought when the footsteps stopped. She could imagine Miraak raising his sword to strike her down.

"This was inevitable child. No matter how talented you are, I was always fated to win this little bout of ours. Now, your soul is mine and I will finally be free of this place. Any last words before I remove that pretty little head from your shoulders?" Miraak taunted.

' _No! I shall not die here arrogant bastard,'_

" **Fus… RO DAH!** ", was The Queen's simple reply, the mighty shout ripping forth from her throat and rebounding off the ground. Her bones trembled as the shout launched her into the air, her spear's rear spike meeting little resistance. She almost thought she'd missed her last ditch effort until her back struck what she assumed was Miraak. She barely stuck the landing, feeling her entire body protest her daring maneuver. She turned and limped over to Miraak's fallen body.

"You talk too damn much," The Queen mocked. Served him right for monologuing instead of ending her when he had the chance.

"Defeated… by a mere child," he uttered before death took him. His body slowly disintegrating into multicolored light and rushed into The Queen.

A deep rumbling chuckle was heard from above. The Queen payed it no heed and roared her triumph to the sky, the very foundations of Apocrypha shuddered as the Thu'um enhanced roar echoed across the realm. As her roar faded, The Queen clutched her head in agony. That damn bitch wouldn't stay in her cage like she was supposed to. She screamed in fury as she was banished back to the cage.

"Gods dammit, I let it happen again," she uttered as she clutched her head, The Queen vanishing and Ysara returning once again. With the adrenaline and The Queen fading, the pain of Ysara's wounds hit her like a mammoth, barely withholding a scream. Gods damn her, she was always so careless with her body. She called forth what little magicka she had to heal her wounds. She sighed as the pain numbed, her most severe wounds closing. At least she'd live to see another day.

"Ah, what a marvelous display that was. I haven't been this entertained since the last Greymarch. My investment in you has truly paid off," the Daedric Lord complimented. "Though not as well as I had hoped," he added solemnly.

"What in Oblivion do you mean by investment?" the ravenette demanded. How dare he suggest that she was his servant. "I serve Talos and the rest of the Nine, not you"

"Ah, dear Ysara. How ignorant you are. Did you really think you had come this far on your own? Come now, don't be so naïve. How do you think your mother's family fell so quickly, despite their prestige? Or what led those Thalmor agents right to your father's secret shrine to Talos,"

' _That bastard! I'll make him pay for screwing with her family,'_

She pulled a dagger from her hip, kept for just an occasion like this where she didn't have the magicka left for another spear. As she was about to throw the dagger, she felt multiple slimey things slither up and encircle her body in a near crushing grip. She glanced down to see black tentacles encompassing the majority of her body. She couldn't repress the shudder that went through her body. She thrashed against them, but their grip simply tightened.

"Or why those… Oh, what were they called again? Ah yes. Why those Dark Moon Renegades picked your homestead to raid that fateful night. Or even, why you decided to go to Dark Water Crossing that night you escaped. Walking right into that Imperial ambush, leading you right to Alduin. Causing a chain of events to unfold that would cause Miraak to send his minions after you and lead you right here. Right where I always wanted you."

"What? No! That's not possible!" she denied, _'But it makes so much sense.'_

"Do you see now? Everything that's happened to you and your family, everything you've done is because of me. I am your true master dear puppet, not Talos, or Akatosh, or any of those other weak fools. It was I who led your mother's family to ruin. I had your father killed by the Thalmor. I had your mother killed and had you captured. It was I who gifted you with the knowledge and the ability to survive in that arena with what little training you had. It was I who caused the cell guard to leave the key to your collar and cell within arm's reach. I whispered Dark Water Crossing to you, so that you would be for the ambush.

"All of this, the manipulation of your family and your life has been for this moment. You gave me the secrets of the Skaals, a prize that on its own was well worth the effort. You cleansed my realm of traitorous filth. You have done all that I wanted, except for one thing," the tentacles raised Ysara into the air, bringing her eye level and unnervingly close to Mora's gigantic eye, "You were supposed to join me. To be my champion that everyone, gods and daedra alike, would be envious of. You were to be the crown jewel of my collection."

' _I'll shout him into a million pieces!'_ she raged as she felt her Thu'um thrum in her throat. Before she could utter a word, pain blossomed from her chest. One of Mora's tentacles had entered her vision, glistening with her crimson blood. She could only stare into that massive glaring eye.

"Instead, you reject me for some silly mortal god who holds no real power! The gods like to act benevolent, but they are just like us. Just far less powerful and more foolish. They make grave threats to Nirn, then choose some mortal to be their little hero. They watch as the hero fights his foes, and if he proves to be unentertaining they erase him and choose someone else. And even then, they simply toss aside their hero once they have finished their task.

"After all, the gods never interfered with my plans, simply because it didn't hinder their own plans for you. Now that you've killed Miraak, the last grave threat to Nirn for this cycle, they won't even acknowledge that you existed. You will fade from memory, just like the Hero of Kvatch and every other hero they've chosen in history."

A dark green portal opened behind her. She felt it pulling on her body, but the tentacles grip held true.

"Now, I can't simply kill you. Your soul would linger here like Miraak's. Its why I needed you in the first place. No, I'm going to send you away, dear Puppet. Somewhere far outside the influence of Oblivion or Aetherius. Die and linger there. You will come to accept me as your true master." With those final words, she felt the slimey appendages release her, leaving her suspended on the tentacle impaling her. It suddenly moved, flinging her off and into the portal.

* * *

She was falling, and, in all honesty, Ysara couldn't give a damn. She and her entire family had been playthings, not just of some sick daedra. But from the gods as well. They had devoted their lives to the service and worship of the gods. How could they do this?

Ysara had considered the possibility that Mora was lying, but in all the times she had interacted with him he had never outright lied to her. Perhaps misled or telling half-truths, but never lie. Not only that, it made sense. Why else would the calamities befall Nirn like they did without the gods either letting it happen or even causing them. It also explained why they allowed beings like Mora to continue to play with the people of Nirn.

 _'When I get out of here I'm go-,'_ her breath was suddenly knocked out of her by a tree branch. She felt it give way, as well as another one of her ribs breaking. She hit another two branches before finally crashing into what she assumed was the ground. Though it felt like she landed on stone rather than the forest floor. Ysara attempted to stand, or at least move some, but her lower body refused to respond. She dredged up what little magicka that had regenerated while Mora was gloating to stem the bleeding somewhat and restore some of her blood. But a diagnostic showed that she was far more injured than she had first thought.

 _'Dammit, broke my pelvis. Trying to move right now is going to be a bitch. It also seems to be the middle of the night. Meaning chanced of being found before I die from blood loss is extremely low,'_ She thought morosely.

The wind blew through the trees, carrying with it a piece of paper. The paper landed on the crippled woman's back, and got caught under a strap of her armor when the wind tried to pick it up again _._

 _'Doesn't matter. I'll get through this. I'll survive being throw away like yesterday's trash. I'll live just to spite those bastards. I'll live even if I have to sell my own gods damned soul,'_

She started dragging herself across the ground. She didn't know where she was going and she didn't care. She was going to crawl until either someone found her or she died. She was on some sort of path, so obviously if she followed it she would find someone eventually. She couldn't dwell on whether that person would find her dead or alive. She just had to keep moving, always moving. The pain was still there, from her broken bones to the gaping wound in her chest to the scrapes from dragging herself across rocks. Pain was good. It that meant she was still alive. She could still fight off death's embrace.

She didn't know how long she crawled across that stone pathway, but eventually even her body stopped responding. Her only working arm refused to move, she could only stare at the torn flesh of her fingers. Damnit, salvation could just be a little farther. But her body still refused to move, no matter how hard she tried or how hard she struggled. Her damn arm just wouldn't listen. She mentally cursed her body. She cursed the beings that had put her in this position. Most of all though, she cursed herself. She cursed herself for being born, for following those little whispers, for falling right where Mora had wanted.

 _'I wish I could do it all over. That I could just start over or be reborn or anything. I just want to live,'_ tears flowed freely down her face.

She never noticed the crimson light from the page on her back or when the symbol from the paper leaped from it into the air.

 _'I wish I could have lived a normal life. Worked a farm or managed a store. Fallen in love. Have or adopt kids.'_ Ysara continued to lament, confessing anything and everything within the confines of her mind. She laid bare her every failure, everything she'd done but wished she hadn't, and everything she'd hadn't done but wished she had. Finally, blessed darkness consumed the anguish consumed woman.

* * *

As it turns out, the darkness wasn't so kind after all. It was cold… so cold. An all-consuming cold that chilled her to the core and drained everything from her. Pain and joy, hope and despair, all were devoured by this darkness. Is this what is after death here? An endless abyss, colder than Skyrim could have even dreamed of being and draining you dry of every emotion?

She didn't know how long she was suspended there, in that devouring cold. But when a sudden heat consumed her as if she was in the middle of an inferno, she rejoiced. She'd thought the darkness had stolen that from her, devoured her soul like she'd done to her fellow dov. She embraced the inferno joyously. She vowed to never let this warmth go, never go back to that abyss that was sure to sap her of every emotion and feeling. Even if it destroyed her, she'd never let go.

She had the urge to open her eyes, but she knew what awaited her. Nothing but utter darkness. The urge grew stronger with each passing moment. Finally, she decided to indulge her body, just to show it that there was nothing there. Her eyes opened and were blinded by the light, such blessed light. Wincing at the pain, she slammed her eyes shut.

She opened them slowly this time, more carefully. As her eyes adjusted, she took in her surroundings. She was in a bed of strange design, completely covered in a heavy cloth. From what she could see, the room lit by the sunlight, streaming into from a window. The room was spartan, with only a few pieces of furniture you would expect from a bedroom. There were a few unlit candles scattered across the room, obviously the source of light for the room after the sun had set.

She sat up, the covers falling off to reveal her pale, Amazonian body. Her body was littered with an uncountable amount of scars, many crisscrossing and overlapping across her body. The only part of her unscarred that remained untouched was her face, her helmet having done a more than adequate job of protecting it. Not only was she naked, but someone had also taken the time to bathe her as well. Her hair, and body in general, was cleaner than it had been in weeks and there was a hint of vanilla coming from her hair.

Something was off, she didn't know what it was but something felt different. She was warm, even with the covers gone from her torso it still remained. Not only that, but she felt stronger. Far stronger than she'd ever felt in her entire life. Her magicka was gone, even the reservoir for it was gone, replaced by something else. Something completely different to magicka. She prodded this new energy, gently at first. After all, the first rule of magic was caution. Didn't want to accidentally cause yourself to spontaneously combust. She'd seen that happen too many times to not be cautious.

Ysara's investigations were cut short as the door to the room opened, a curvaceous woman with extremely long black ponytail and wearing the oddest clothes she'd ever seen, walked in carrying a small tray with an oddly shopped pot and cup on it as well. She would have been the envy of Diabella if she had been in her world. The woman's eyes lit up when she looked at her, giving her a gentle smile.

"Awake I see. Good, we honestly didn't know if you were going to make it," She said as she set the tray down and began pouring a steaming liquid into the cup, obviously some form of beverage. "You've been comatose for past three days, and hypothermic as well. Drink some tea, it should help warm you up some. I'll let Buchou (President) know that you're finally awake," she told Ysara as she tenderly handed her the cup of tea. The woman left the room, obviously to go get whoever this Buchou person was.

' _How the hell do I know that Buchou means president when this is the first time I've heard it_?' Ysara thought, but pushed it aside in favor of the cup in her hand.

Ysara examined the cup, taking a small whiff to check for any noticeable poisons, a habit she'd taken up after during her time with the Dark Moons. Not detecting anything malignant, she took a small sip of the tea.

 _'Not bad. I'd prefer a cold mug of mead though. Then again, nothing beats a good mug of Honeying Brew Mead,'_ she thought ruefully. She savored the new drink, placing it on her list of favorites that she consulted when she didn't want to get shitfaced.

The door opened again, this time a crimson haired woman walking through the door. Were all of the women of this world this beautiful? Her beauty eclipsed, or even surpassed, the woman from earlier. The woman held herself exactly how she'd imagined Diabella would. Sensually, but tempered by regality.

"I'm happy to see you finally woke up. You gave us quite the scare. I'm Rias Gremory and it is a pleasure to meet you," she greeted kindly, her voice just as regal, yet sensual.

"I am Ysara Gaerwing and the pleasure is all mine."

"My, how polite you are. With the introductions over with, let's get to the matter at hand. I am a devil and you summoned me to that park with this," she held up a piece of paper with a strange magic symbol on it, "By the time I had arrived you had already passed on, but I could tell you were something special. So I resurrected you, brought you back from death as a devil to be my servant."

Normally, she would have been outrage to be forced into servitude. However, that was before she had experienced death. Before she had seen what lay for her after death, that endless, devouring abyss. This woman saved from that place, the place no doubt meant to break her so she would have accepted Mora just to escape from it. Ysara owed this woman, Rias, more than she even knew.

Ysara slowly stood from her place on the bed, three days laying immobile leaving her stiff. Rias watched her, intrigue obvious in her blue-green eyes. Completely disregarding her nudity, Ysara kneeled before the red head.

"Rias Gremory, you have done more than simply restore me to life. You have saved my soul from a tortuous fate. Living as your servant is the least I could do to repay the debt I owe you. I, Ysara Gaerwing, last scion of the Noble House Gaerwing, swear fealty to you as my rightful liege. I am at your command, Thuri (Master)," She declared passionately. Rias' shock was written plainly on her face, though she quickly recovered and giggled.

"Yes, you are quite the interesting person Ysara. Come, let's get you dressed and introduced to the rest of my peerage," she commanded as she began walking out of the room.

"Yes, Thuri," She responded as she moved to follow, "Though if you don't mind me asking, what exactly is a devil?" she questioned curiously.

Rias pause for second before responding, slightly amused by the woman's ignorance, "It seems there's a lot more to talk about than I had first anticipated."

 **AN: Hope you guys enjoyed the story. Feel free to review or message me anything about the story. For all of you out there who aren't lore nuts for Elder Scrolls like I am, Thuri is what the dragons of Skyrim called Alduin. Many then transferred the title to the player character after they defeat Alduin**

 **I haven't planned everything out for this story yet, so I'd love to hear any constructive feedback or ideas you guys have. Anything from grammar to story ideas. I'm going to leave this here for a few days before beginning the next chapter to see how it does and what the feedback is like.**


	2. New World, New Life

**AN: Chapter 2 is finally done. I've updated Chapter 1 as well, found quite a few errors that I missed and took some time to rewrite somethings so they fit how I want this story to be better. Nothing I changed is significant, so you don't need to read it to understand anything happening in this chapter. Anyway, enjoy the newest installment of The Shield of the Gremory.**

New World, New Life

Rias led Ysara to a large, candlelit room that appeared to be a meeting room. All of the furniture was at the far end of the room. There was a large wooden desk, two cushioned benches facing each other, and a table between the two benches. A small pile of clothes was neatly folded laid on the table. A scarlet rug was positioned under the benches and table. There were a few painting decorating the wall, but the lighting was too poor to make out what they looked like.

' _This reminds me of all those dungeons I went into. Wonder what we actually do as a devil?'_ Ysara thought as she took in her surroundings.

"I sent everyone else out for the moment so you could get dressed in private. Just ask if you need any help," Rias offered kindly as they walked over to the table.

"What did you do with my armor? I know it was pretty broken, but I might be able to fix it"

"It disintegrated when I revived you. I honestly don't know why that happened. Clothes and armor are normally unaffected by the ritual," Rias answered.

Ysara merely nodded and examined the clothes they had provided her. "I've never seen clothes like these before," she commented absently.

"Really?" Rias asked her, the surprise evident on her face, "You're definitely going to need my help then," she stated as she moved to help the older woman.

Rias handed her the undergarments first. They were black, lacy things that left little to the imagination, like someone was trying to embarrass her. Rias had to help her put the bra on, the damn clasp refused to cooperate with her. Rias' hand brushed against her skin, sending a fiery warmth up her spine.

"Are you feeling alright? You're still colder than you should be." Rias demanded worriedly.

"I feel fine, the only difference from before I died is that everything feels warmer than usual," Ysara responded. Ysara couldn't help the small twitch of her lips curling into a smile, it had been so long since someone had worried about her.

"So, this is a new development? I've never heard of an Evil Piece doing something like this before. I'll have to ask my brother if he's heard of something like this happening before,"

"I think I might know what caused this," Ysara started, Rias giving her a curious look, "I assume you've heard the saying 'If you stare into the abyss long enough, the abyss stares back,"

"Yes, I'm quite familiar with the phrase. It's used to as a metaphor for when heroes turn evil."

"Well, what happens when you don't just stare into the abyss? What happens when you fall in? I… I remember what happened to my soul after I died. I don't know where I went or how long I was there. Words fail to describe what it was, but the closest thing I think of is a void. One filled with nothing but a crushing cold, one that utterly crushed anything that made you, you. Joy and pain, hope and despair, hate and love, anything and everything that you felt. It… it was something I'd never wish on anyone," Ysara explained, shivering as the memory of that horrible place came rushing back.

Rias pulled the older, and slightly taller, woman into an embrace. While Ysara had been warmer than normal, comparing that feeling to being in Rias' embrace was like comparing a candle to a forest fire. She sunk into it and let out a content sigh. Even The Queen's constant pounding on her mental barriers quieted. Ysara might have imagined the purred _'Thuri'_ that came from the other side of the barrier.

"Don't worry Ysara. You're far away from that horrible place and I'll make sure that you never go back there again," Rias spoke comfortingly and with such a conviction Ysara knew she meant every word.

She stayed like that for a few more seconds, basking in the comfort of Rias' warmth. However, they were interrupted as a giggle was heard from the doorway.

"Am I interrupting something Buchou? You left your tea in your room, but I can come back later if you two need some alone time," The black haired woman teased from the doorway, holding the tray in her hands.

"No, we were quite finished Akeno. Set it down on my desk and we'll get to it once she finishes getting dressed," Rias asserted, obviously exasperated at the other woman's antics, as she and Ysara broke apart from their embrace. Ysara felt her face burn as she thought about what the woman just said. She had to fight off a grimace as The Queen began trying to escape her cage again.

"I'm just glad the two of you are enjoying my selection of undergarments. She does look quite… ravishing," Akeno purred as she walked past Ysara. Gods damn that woman, her face felt like it was on fire.

The rest of the clothes were simple enough to put on. The white button down shirt had to be redone at least three times because she missed a button and the only reason she got it right the last time was because of Rias' help. The skirt was simple as well, once Rias had showed her how to use the zipper after she had stared at it dumbly for a few seconds. Both Rias and Akeno wore amused grins the whole time she struggled with various common clothes. The rest of the outfit consisted of a black ribbon that went around her neck, a black overcoat, a set of black leggings, and a pair of brown shoes. All of which she was able to put on without Rias' assistance. Ysara would have been surprised that all of the clothes fit her perfectly, but they did have three days to measure and get the clothes made.

"Go ahead and take a seat on the couch while we wait for everyone else to get back. I'm sure my familiar has already informed them that it's alright to come back," Rias told Ysara as she sat on her desk.

' _At least I know what these are called now,'_ Ysara thought as she sat down on one of the couches, _'Wow! These are really comfortable.'_

Akeno passed them both a cup of tea and they waited in comfortable silence for the rest of Rias' peerage to arrive, savoring Akeno's well-made tea. They didn't have to wait long, a few minutes later a cute, petite, white haired girl wearing the same outfit as everyone else walked in. She didn't even acknowledge Ysara as she sat down on the couch opposite of her and began munching on a candy bar. She was followed by a handsome, blonde teen boy wearing a masculine version of what they were all wearing. He gave Ysara a small nod and simply stood at the other end of the couch that Ysara was on.

"Now that every is here let's get the introductions over with," Rias declared as she set her cup down pushed off the desk, motioning towards Ysara. Ysara set her own cup on the table and stood from her seat before speaking.

"I'm Ysara Gaerwing, it is a pleasure to finally meet you all," She greeted.

"My name is Yuuto Kiba and it is a pleasure to meet you as well," the blonde introduced politely, "and that is Koneko Toujou," he motioned towards the white haired girl.

"Hi," was the girl's monotone response, not even glancing away from her treat.

' _That's kind of rude. Though, at least she acknowledged me,'_

"I am Akeno Himejima, and it is quite the pleasure to meet you," Akeno greeted teasingly.

Ysara had to fight to keep her face from heating up again. She wouldn't get her this time.

"With that of the way, you need to understand that we devils are not the only supernatural race. There are the fallen angels, who were cast down to the Underworld, or Hell as the humans call it, due to their wicked nature. They try manipulate humans and destroy us devils, constantly struggling for dominance with us in the Underworld that has continued since primeval times. Then there are the normal angels who come here on God's orders to hunt down demons. In other words, we have a three-way standoff. Are you with me so far?" Rias explained.

Ysara merely nodded, seemed simple enough. Demons and Fallen Angels share the Underworld while the Angels live in heaven, and all three races hated each other.

"Ysara, you have been reborn into the household of Rias Gremory, daughter of Duke Gremory, as my servant devil," Rias declared, a pair of bat like wings flared out from her back. Her other servants followed suit, each of them revealing their wings as well.

' _Hm, that's pretty neat. Now, how do I summon mine?'_ she suddenly felt something shift and looked behind her to see devil wings on her back as well, _'Huh, guess that's how. Are they just for show or can they be used to fly?'_ she wondered. For as long as she could remember, she had envied the birds and her fellow dovah for their ability to fly.

"We're all students here at Kuoh Academy and we formed the Occult Research Club as a cover in case we need to get out of class for some reason. You're going to have to join Kuoh Academy as well, so you'll have a legitimate reason to be on school grounds. I'll just give you a quick examination to see where to place you," Rias told her as she pulled out small stack of papers from her desk.

Ysara already knew she didn't have a chance in Oblivion on getting any kind of acceptable score, but sat down to take it anyway. She just hoped that Thuri wouldn't be too disappointed. She took one look at the paper, before realizing that she was going to have more problems than she thought.

"Uh… I can't read this," she confessed hesitantly, garnering looks of shock from everyone except Koneko.

"How is that even possible? The Asgardians are isolationists, but I thought they still taught how to read most human languages," Rias practically demanded, receiving only a confounded look.

"What's in Oblivion is an Asgardian?"

"You mean; you weren't a Valkyrie?" Akeno asked.

"No, I've never heard of them either," Ysara answered, sending the group into further shock.

"If you weren't a Valkyrie, then what were you? And where did you come from?" Rias demanded curiously.

"I was human, half Nord and half Breton to be exact. Though I doubt that actually means anything to you considering how far from home I am. I don't know all the metaphysics behind it, but I'm outside of what we considered to be reality,"

"So, you're saying you're from another world? One that is completely cut off from our own world?" Rias asked.

"Yes. From what you've told me about this world, and what I know of mine, it seems like each one is a cluster of worlds with a central hub. The human world for this cluster and Nirn for my own. Thus, I jumped from my cluster to your own,"

"But, if each cluster is isolated from each other, then how did you get here?" Rias questioned.

Ysara's face twisted into a nasty scowl and she glared down at the floor, "That would be Hermaeus Mora's doing. He's the Daedric Prince of Forbidden Knowledge and Fate. I fulfilled my purpose and refused to join his oh so precious collection," she growled venomously, "So he stabbed me, and threw me through a portal like a broken toy. Then again, that's what I was to him… and to everyone else," Ysara's angry growl turned into a heartbroken sob, tears beginning to fall from her face.

"They toyed with my life, murdered my family, pretended to care about me, and for what? So I could accomplish their petty goals? So that I would fight and nearly die for their own sick amusement? So they could toss me away like a broken toy when they grew bored of me?" she felt slender arms encircle her, and she leaned into the comforting inferno that was her Thuri, "Is that all I am? A toy for gods and mortals to play with?" she wept weakly into her Thuri's chest.

Rias rubbed her back soothingly, "Shh… Everything's okay now. You're one of us now, and we never abandon one of our own. You won't be able to get rid of us even if you tried," she reassured.

She wept into her Thuri's chest until her tears dried. It could have been minutes or hours, she didn't care. She was safe, safe in the comfort of her Thuri's warm embrace. She couldn't stop herself from nuzzling into her some, trying to find a more comfortable spot. She felt something push her away, but resisted. No! she didn't want to leave the comfortable warmth of her Thuri. Finally, she relented and let herself be pushed away. She opened her eyes, not really focusing on anything.

"Did you enjoy yourself Ysara-chan?" Akeno giggled teasingly.

"Wha… Oh! Oh gods no! It's nothing like that at all," she denied vehemently, though she couldn't keep her cheeks from heating up again, "It's just that she's so warm. I can't really describe it, but it's like a warm blanket on a cold winter night, but so much better," Ysara tried to explain.

"Well that makes sense, your lower body temperature would cause people to feel warmer than normal," Rias reasoned.

Ysara looked down shamefully, "I'm sorry about breaking down like that. I ruined your shirt and I doubt it was comfortable to hold someone that feels cold," she apologized.

"It's quite alright Ysara, you've had a rough past few days. So it's quite understandable for you to be upset over everything that's happened to you. As for your condition, the sensation was different but not uncomfortable. Even if it was, I would gladly sacrifice my own comfort if it helped you Ysara. Don't ever think I'll value my own comfort over your wellbeing. You're my cute little servant after all." she rebuked gently, caressing the woman's cheek.

' _Dammit, these women are going to cause me to burst into flames,'_ she thought as she felt the heat in her face intensify. She managed to sputter out a simple," Yes, Thuri".

Rias simply giggle before speaking, "Now that you've calmed down, we still have to go over your duties as a devil. Normally, we'd have started you off with passing out the summoning circles. However, given your unique circumstances, we're going to have to give you a crash course on everything you'll need to know. You're not going to be able to leave this building until we get you into Kuoh Academy. Let's go ahead and get started".

She spent the rest of the day learning to read and wright again. That night, in the privacy of her bedroom, Ysara thanked whatever deity that was out there that she had been saved by someone like her Thuri. The gods and Daedric Princes of her world paled in comparison to her. They were all selfish manipulators, who toyed with humans for their own sick amusement. Not her Thuri though. No, her Thuri was kind and compassionate, something the deities of her world would never be. She was her guiding light at the end of the tunnel, her campfire in the frozen winter night. And she'd do anything to protect her Thuri, the woman who brought her back from the abyss.

* * *

For the next month, Ysara spent learning all she could. This world was so much different from her own. The technology was baffling. How in Oblivion did these humans get a hollowed out chunk of metal to fly? The language here was so different as well. How did it function with at least three different forms of writing? Why add suffixes to the end of people's names? She didn't know the answer, but that's just how it was.

The sheer amount of information she had been forced to learn in such a short time had pushed her enhanced learning capabilities to the limit. But, she had done it. Thuri had finally decided she was well versed enough to join them at the school.

It was early in the morning, about an hour before everyone else had to be at school. Ysara was wearing what Thuri had called casual clothes, a pair of jeans, a solid red t-shirt, and a pair of socks and sneakers. She was handed a large handbag, filled to the brim with stacks of summoning circles. She shouldered the bag easily, despite its weight.

"Go ahead and pass these out for the day while we're at school. I'm sure you're dying to get out of here. Don't forget to put sunscreen on before you go out. Tomorrow is your first day at Kuoh, so make sure to your uniform," Rias told her as she walked out the door with the rest of her peerage.

"Yes Thuri," was her simple reply. _'I prefer the school's uniform anyway. Jeans are far too restricting for my tastes.'_

Walked outside for the first time in a month, basking in the sun's rays despite the slight burning sensation it caused her skin. She took in a deep breath, relishing the fresh air. It felt so nice to be outside again. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't been going stir crazy. She walked off the school property and into Kuoh proper, savoring the cool wind that blew across her skin.

' _Why do I feel like I forgot something? Eh, it's probably not important.'_ she thought. The breeze picked up again, _'Oh, I missed this so much,'_

* * *

' _Uhg, why did I want to get out and do this again,'_ she groaned internally as she handed out another paper, making sure to flash the crooked nosed woman a kind smile.

The sounds of the city were deafening. Cars honking, children screaming, dogs barking, anything and everything seemed to take the time out of their lives to make some kind of noise. The acrid smell of car exhaust burned her nostrils. The sun beat down on her, having gone from mildly annoying to practically scorching her skin. She pressed on though, she refused to disappoint her Thuri.

She handed out her papers to anyone that would take them: an old married couple, a small boy with buck teeth, a man in a black trench coat, a woman in a wheelchair were just a few. She kept at it, her bag feeling steadily lighter. Finally, she reached for another paper and felt nothing but the bags smooth interior. Taking peak inside, Ysara had to restrain herself from shouting to the heavens at the lack of papers.

' _Finally, now I can get out of this gods damned sun,'_ her stomach rumbled, _'By Shor's bones am I hungry!'_

Glancing up at the sky, she guessed it was around mid-afternoon. She hurried back, craving the blessed silence of her home. Reading about all the things she'd see in the human world and actually seeing them were two completely different things. Finally reaching the old school house, she pushed open the door and finally noticed the angry red tone of her skin.

 _'Shit! That's what I forgot this morning. Thuri's going to let me have it once she sees.'_

She didn't have to wait long, her Thuri having been behind her desk working on something when she walked in. Rias let out a gasp, and was swiftly at her side.

"You look like you just got pulled out of boiler. This is exactly why I told you to put sunscreen on this morning," She fused

"I… uh forgot," Ysara's stomach decided to make itself known, "I may have also forgotten to eat today as well" she confessed sheepishly.

"What am I going to do with you?" her Thuri asked, shaking her head in exasperation. "Come one, let's get you fed and heal those burns"

She could only hand her head and let her Thuri lead her away.

' _Maybe tomorrow will be better,'_

* * *

The first thing Ysara noticed as she and her Thuri walked into the school was the whispers. All the other students could talk about was her. Speculations of who she was. Of her relationship with Gremory-senpai as they called her Thuri. That she wasn't worthy to walk with their precious Gremory-senpai.

' _They're right, I don't deserve Thuri. But they are even less deserving of her presence.'_

Pushing out those dark thoughts, Ysara followed her Thuri until they she stopped in front of one of the many doors.

"This is your classes room. Go in and just follow the teacher's instructions. I'm sure you'll do fine," Rias told her encouragingly.

"Yes, Thuri," she replied softly.

Her Thuri gave her a small pat on the shoulder before walking off. Ysara took a deep breath and stepped forward, but hesitated before entering the room.

' _I've faced far worse things than this. Get a grip! You can do this. You have to do this!'_

Finally, she walked into the room and every eye turned to her. The room was filled with students. She couldn't count how many there were. Her heart quickened and she was distinctly aware of sweat beginning to coat her palms. She almost didn't hear the teacher when he addressed her.

"Ah, you must be the transfer student. The one from Brittany right?"

She turned to face him, taking in his very average appearance. He was a middle aged man with black hair. He was wearing glasses over his brown eyes. By the gods he was so average looking.

Ysara nodded, "Yes sensei,"

Ah, Brittany is my favorite part of France. Go ahead and introduce yourself to the class and take a seat by Hayata-san. Raise your hand Hayata-san" a girl in the back raised her hand.

"My name is Ysara Gaerwing, it is a pleasure to meet you all," she greeted and bowed. She walked up one of the aisle and sat beside the girl, pulling out a note book and pencil. The girl beside her didn't even acknowledge her.

' _That's fine with me, I didn't want to get to know you anyway,'_

A few more students came in before the bell rang. The teacher stood up from his desk and walked over to the board.

"Alright class, let's go ahead and continue where we left off yesterday on derivatives,"

' _Oh joy, calculus. My favorite subject,'_ she thought sardonically.

The day only got worse from there. She had to trudge through every subject she hated. And the only subject she liked, Biology, was taught by the most boring person imaginable. That man could less interesting as watching paint dry. Lunch was alright. Akeno was a pretty decent cook, but the bento she had just wasn't as good as it was fresh. Finally, the school day ended, but she had to spend the rest of the day passing out more summoning circles.

' _No matter how bad it is though, I'll endure it. If this is the price to pay for being by Thuri's side I will gladly pay it a hundred times over.'_ She thought as she let sleep claim her.

 **AN: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, let me know what you think. I'll go ahead and say that my High School DXD knowledge is somewhat lacking, so If I've messed anything up just let me know.**


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